Tales of a Dragonkeeper
by cty-lover
Summary: What happens when a rider bears two gedwey ignasia? Oridia, a young elven girl, is finding the answer. ERAGON AU. DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THE INHERITANCE CYCLE. Please R&R. Chapter 3 is up, and constructive criticism is always welcome.
1. Oridia

**This is only my second fan-fiction, so please let me know if it is bad. It's, as the summary suggests, an Eragon AU fan-fiction. Just to avoid any mishaps with the law, this is a non-profit media. Also, I don't own any of the concepts or places in this fan-fiction. Christopher Paolini does.**

**Also, this is an AU fan-fiction because Galbatorix failed in defeating Vrael. He never ruled Alagaesia, so the Broddering Kingdom still exists, but Surda doesn't.**

Chapter 1: Oridia

There were many elves at the sparring ground that day. However, that wasn't unusual. The elves usually liked to keep their form in peak condition, and Oridia was no exception. She was currently sparring with one of the more skillful warriors training that day. His name was Feredon.

Oridia was a relatively young elf compared to her opponent. She was only nineteen years of age. Her hair was of midnight, like most elves, but unlike other elves, there was a streak of silver hair running from the tip of her head to the base of her hair at her shoulders. The band seemed to split her hair into two even halves. No one knew why she had that streak of silver, but she personally liked it. Other than the silver streak, her features were quite normal for an elf. Her eyes were a deep blue.

One of the things Oridia had great pride for was her natural skill with the sword. When she first picked up a sword at the age of five, she was able to keep on par with her father for a full five minutes before she got bored. After that, she began practicing the art of swordplay with her father. After only one year, she was able to best her father with her sword in only one hand.

Now, however, she was facing a much tougher challenge. Feredon, unlike Oridia's father, was well-trained in swordsmanship. He was usually relaxed and rarely practiced at the sparring ground, but when he heard about Oridia being there that day, he couldn't help but challenge her.

The clash of swords at the sparring ground began to lower in volume. The fight between the naturally talented Oridia and the skillful Feredon distracted most of the other elves on the field. The two swordsmen were evenly matched. What Oridia lacked in strength she made up in speed, while Feredon was the reverse.

The fight seemed to last for an hour. Both were constantly trying to strike their opponent while repelling their opponent's attacks simultaneously. Eventually, though, Feredon began gaining advantage over Oridia. With a complicated movement, he knocked her sword out of her hand. "You fought well, Oridia. Your skill with the blade is amazing for one so young as you." Feredon said as he handed Oridia her sword.

"One tries her best. That was a fine duel, Feredon-vodhr. I look forward to sparring with you in the future." Oridia replied, accepting her sword from Feredon.

"You are almost twenty, right?" Feredon asked.

"I am. Why do you ask?' Oridia replied.

"Are you planning on being tested?"

"Yes, I am. In fact, I turn twenty tomorrow."

"Good. You would be a great addition to the Dragon Rider's ranks, Oridia. If you are accepted, that is." Feredon said.

"Thank you, Feredon-vodhr. Now, if you will excuse me, I must return home." Oridia said as she began heading home from the sparring ground.

--

Oridia woke up the next day with excitement in her heart. _Today is the day. I finally shall be tested._ With that thought, she got out of bed and dressed. She wore a green tunic and some red breeches. She donned her woolen boots and exited her room. As she left, she noticed that there was a green dragon in the streets. _I believe that there is a Dragon Rider in Ellesmera._

As she left, she saw the elf on the dragon's back. The Dragon Rider was wearing normal clothes, just like the rest of the elves. Apparently, however, the clothes were made of a much finer material because the rider seemed to be extremely comfortable in the clothes he was wearing. Oridia also noticed the silvery mark on the rider's right palm. _That must be the ge__dw__ëy ignasia._

She walked past the rider, who was standing in front of Tialdarí Hall. This was where the testings were held. She entered the building, and on a table before her was a row of dragon eggs. The colors were many and varied, from white to black and many colors in between. The rider of the green dragon entered Tialdari Hall. They greeted each other as they would any other elf.

"Hello. You must be here for the testing." He said in a caring voice.

"Y...yes. I am. What do I do?" Oridia said, stuttering a little. She was fairly nervous.

"Just touch each egg. If one of them hatches, then you have found your partner." He replied.

With that, Oridia began touching each egg in turn. She started with the white egg. As she touched each one, she noticed that the rider was just waiting patiently. Soon, Oridia reached the last egg in the row, which was the black egg.

"What do I do now?" she asked.

"Wait a little while. We'll soon see if any of these eggs will hatch for you." Oridia nodded, and sat down to wait for any sign of an egg hatching. A few minutes later, the black egg began to rock back and forth. Accompanying the rocking was squeaking. Oridia watched in awe as the egg began to crack. The cracks began to converge on one point. Pieces began to fall off of the egg, until there was an opening large enough for a small kitten to crawl through.

The dragon slowly climbed out of the egg. The dragon was black, just like Oridia's hair, except for the claws, teeth, and spikes, which were bone white. The dragon crawled around, curiously exploring its new surroundings. Oridia decided to reach for the dragon with both hands. She touched the dragon on its sides, and a blast of icy energy shot through both of Oridia's arms. She fell unconcious from the pain. The rider watched in amazement. Never in the history of the Dragon Riders has someone reached for their hatchling with both hands.

"This should be interesting, Gariva. Don't you think?" the rider asked his dragon.

_I have to agree with you, Velinor._ The dragon responded in a feminine voice.

**Well, there you have it. I'll try to get a chapter a month, but with my busy school scheduler, this might be hard to keep up. Please R&R. I'm willing to accept constructive criticism to improve this fan-fiction.**


	2. Acceptance

**Okay, I have a couple of points to address. First, don't judge a book by its cover. Someone accused me of making my currenct main character, Oridia, a "Mary-sue." I have to say that I never intended to make my characters perfect characters. I have plot twists and character development to change my story and characters.**

**Usual Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon, the ancient language, Ellesmera, Tialdari Hall, or anything that is from the Inheritance Cycle. That is owned by Christopher Paolini and his publishers.**

* * *

Chapter 2: Acceptance

Oridia woke up to find herself still in Tialdarí Hall. The Dragon Rider was still there. He was smiling.

"Good to see you awake again, child. You were asleep for a while." He said.

"Does this mean I am a Dragon Rider?" Oridia asked, excitement hidden from her voice.

"Not yet. True, you have bonded with a dragon, but you are not a true Dragon Rider until your training is complete." The rider replied.

Oridia thought about this for a while. She had the suspicion that she had forgotten something. She looked at her hands, and she saw that there was a gedwëy ignasia on both hands. She wondered why she had two gedwëy ignasia, and asked the rider.

"I do not know. It is most likely because you touched your dragon with both hands. Usually, the gedwëy ignasia is on the hand that first touches the hatchling. However, you went for the dragon in an attempt to pick him up. Therefore, you touched him with both hands at the same time." He replied.

"What will happen to me because of this?" Oridia asked, wondering what changes will happen to her because of her two shining palms.

"I have no idea. There is no known instance of this happening before." He replied. "You must be tired. You should head home and lie down for a little while. When you have rested, come see me at the training ground."

"Before I go, may I ask for your name?" Oridia said.

"My name is Velinor, son of Nirean. My dragon's name is Gariva. Your name, if I may?" Velinor replied.

"Oridia, daughter of Arolia. Well, I shall see you later, Velinor-elda." Oridia said, and departed immediately after. On her way out, she remembered her hatchling. She rushed back to Tialdarí Hall to see the black hatchling exploring the building. He just walked around, but he never seemed to leave Velinor's sight.

"Oh, good. You came back, Oridia. I thought that you forgot about your hatchling." Velinor said.

"It's a good thing that I remembered before you left." Oridia replied, walking over to the hatchling dragon.

"You need not have worried. I would have kept him safe. After all, he isn't fully capable of protecting himself. In about two weeks, most creatures here in Du Weldenvarden shouldn't pose a threat to him."

"That is comforting. By the way, how do you know that the hatchling is male?" Oridia asked.

"When an dragon hatches, they usually have a scent that distinguishes between genders. Another dragon could easily tell the difference between a male and female hatchling of the same color. Gariva told me as soon as the egg hatched."

"Thank you once again, Velinor-elda. I shall be going now." Oridia said as she departed, heading for her home once again. Her home was sung out of an old oak tree. Her parents gave it to Oridia as a coming-of-age present when she was fifteen. It had two floors, one for Oridia's personal quarters and another for visitors to relax. She was surprised to see her parents, Arolia and Rhafean, standing in front of the door.

"Mother, Father, what are you doing here?" Oridia asked the two elves in a curious manner.

"We heard you had become a Dragon Rider. We wanted to come over and congratulate you on you accomplishment." Arolia said. "Well, may we come in?"

"Sure. I just need a second." Oridia replied, and she entered the tree. She went to the table, put the dragon there, and went back to the door.

"So, you are a Dragon Rider. I'm impressed, Oridia. I only thought that you would try to be a swordsman, and dedicate your life to the blade." Rhafean said.

"Technically, I'm still not a Dragon Rider. I have yet to complete my training. Once that is done, I am a Dragon Rider." Oridia replied.

The dragon walked around the table examining those who sat around it. He then proceeded to walk over to Oridia, and climbed up her arm onto her shoulder, where he sat there, perched like a bird. The group began talking about recent events, from some recent paintings by Arolia to Oridia's fight with Feredon. Once they finished talking about the swordfight, Oridia remembered that she had to go to the training ground. She bade her parents farewell as she left. Arolia and Rhafean followed her out, and then the two groups went their separate ways. Arolia and Rhafean went to their abode, while Oridia headed towards the training ground. When she arrived there, she saw Velinor sitting next to a tree.

She went over to him and greeted him with the elvish custom. After they greeted each other, Velinor stood up. "From what I've heard from some of the elves here, you are an excellent swordsman. Usually, I wouldn't have to test your skill with the blade. However, I have a feeling that it would be better if I tested you anyway." Velinor told Oridia.

"I don't understand. Why must I be tested in my swordsmanship?" Oridia asked.

"I have two reasons. One, I want to actually see your skill for myself. Feredon-vodhr told me that you were able to fight on par with him for over an hour, but I want to see that myself. Secondly, I think that your abilities might have changed when you were given the two gedwëy ignasia." Velinor replied.

"You really think that these two gedwëy ignasia would have an effect on my skills?"

"It is only a guess, but if I'm wrong, at least I will see your abilities first-hand. If I'm right, then your training can be modified to make up for whatever happened."

Oridia nodded her head, and drew her sword from its sheath on her hip. The hatchling just stayed on her shoulder, oblivious to the practice swordfight that was about to commence.

"Before we begin, Oridia, I think that your hatchling should be with Gariva. Just for his safety." Velinor said. With that statement, Gariva landed in the field. Oridia walked over to the green dragon and placed the black hatchling in the hollow at the base of Gariva's neck. With the hatchling out of the way, the match could begin.

Velinor struck with blinding speed. Oridia, even though she was a prodigy, could barely keep up. Velinor was fast with his green blade. _I can't believe that the Dragon Riders are this good with the sword,_ she thought to herself as she kept his blows from hitting her. The fight was much different from her fight with Feredon. With Feredon, she was able to keep a strong defense while being able to make attempts at strikes. With Velinor, however, she was hopelessly outmatched.

During the fight, however, Oridia noticed something. Velinor didn't seem that much faster than the other elves she had faced. _Either I've slowed down, or I'm still a little weak from the hatching,_ she thought to herself as she kept avoiding getting hit by Velinor's sword. She also noticed her moves didn't flow as smoothly as they did the day before. Velinor noticed her distraction, and quickly disarmed her.

"I'm a little disappointed. From what I heard from Feredon-vodhr, you were a swordsman of great skill. However, your skills seemed to be less than what I was told." Velinor said.

"Am I still worthy of being a Dragon Rider?" Oridia asked, fearful of his response. She thought that she might not have been good enough to be a Dragon Rider.

"Yes, you are. You don't need to worry about being good enough to be a rider. Even if you aren't that good now, you will become better through training. I am merely curious as to why your skills aren't as good as I had hoped. I will think about this. In the mean time, I think that you have potential to become an amazing swordsman." Velinor replied.

_But I was always an amazing swordsman. Why did I suddenly lose my skills?_ Oridia thought to herself. "You said that this was to see if my abilities were modified when I was given the gedwëy ignasia. Could this be one of those modified abilities?" Oridia proposed.

"Maybe. I wasn't expecting a change like that, but it is a possibility that you lost your natural swordsmanship. Don't worry about this, though. You will most likely become an even better swordsman from training than through natural skill.

"I think that it is time for us to go our separate ways for the time being. Tomorrow, I shall meet you outside your abode. You need to travel to Doru Araeba to train. Gariva and I will fly you there tomorrow." Velinor said. Oridia walked over to Gariva to get her hatchling, who apparently had been searching for food. She wondered what she should get him, and asked Velinor for help.

"When Gariva hatched, I just brought her plants for a while. After about two days, I let her go into the forest to hunt. I accompanied her, just to be safe." Velinor replied to Oridia's question. The black hatchling climbed back onto Oridia's shoulder. Oridia walked back to her house after saying farewell to Velinor. That night, she slept peacefully, devoid of anxiety for the new life ahead of her.

--

The next morning, Oridia awoke with some excitement, but some anxiety as well. _What will my training be like? Will it be difficult?_ she thought as she looked for her hatchling. She saw him staring out the window, looking like an eagle in the morning sun. The image reminded Oridia of how noble the dragon race was. In that moment, she developed a much deeper respect for the dragons and the Dragon Riders.

Suddenly, there was a knock on Oridia's door. She quickly ran to the stairs and slid down the bannister. Whenever she was in a rush, she usually did this, for the bannister was durable and made a very quick mode of transportation. When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she opened the door to see Velinor.

"Atra esterní ono thelduin." Oridia said to the Dragon Rider.

"Mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr." Velinor responded back.

"Un du evarínya ono varda." Oridia replied in turn.

"Ah, it is good to see you again, Oridia. Are you ready to take flight?"

"Actually, I still need to gather some clothes."

"There will be no need for you to take clothes."

"Shall I go naked, then?" Oridia commented, which caused Velinor to laugh heartily.

"No, not at all. Clothes will be provided for you in Doru Araeba."

"Well, that's good. Let me go get the hatchling." Oridia said as she went back to the stairs. She climbed the stairs to her living quarters. She saw the dragon in the same spot where she last saw him, sitting by the window, looking out over Ellesméra. She moved to him, and he turned his head in her direction. She went over to him, and he crawled up her arm and perched himself on her shoulder. She reached out with her mind, and when she found the dragon's mind, she tried to impress on him the fact that he wouldn't be able to perch himself on her shoulder for very long. She wasn't sure if he understood, but she thought she felt a sense of resignment towards this fact. She assumed that it came from the dragon, because she would be glad when he decided to walk around himself.

She decided to slide down the bannister again, and soon, she was back with Velinor with the hatchling.

"Good, now we can depart. Gariva, are you ready?" Velinor called out.

_Yes, Velinor. Is the young one ready to fly? _Oridia heard the voice in her head and wondered when her hatchling would be ready to do that.

"Uh, yes. I'm ready to fly, Gariva. By the way, Velinor, when do dragons learn to speak, and when do they breathe fire?" Oridia asked.

"Usually, dragons learn to communicate with us when they are about two to three-and-a-half weeks old. As for the fire, they will breathe fire after five to six months. That is also when they are mature and are ready to mate." Velinor replied as he mounted Gariva. He helped Oridia into the saddle, and once both Oridia and Venilor were in the saddle, Gariva untucked her wings. She jumped, and the force of her jump sent her about twenty-five feet into the air. She then began to flap her wings. With each flap, she began to ascend. Soon, she was above the treeline, and she began flying towards Doru Araeba.

* * *

**Okay, so what do you think? Please R&R. However, if you haven't read _Brisingr_ and/or don't like spoilers, DO NOT GO INTO THE REVIEWS SECTION AND READ THEM. Someone decided to spoil the book for me just because of what he/she read in the first chapter. If you really want to know the reviews, PM me and I'll tell you what they say.**

**As a sidenote, beware the Cult of Herostratus. Their goal is to spoil any anticipated release all over the internet. The person who posted the spoilers of Brisingr was a member of this cult.**


	3. Your Training Begins Now

**This is, by far, the longest chapter I have written. I hope you enjoy it. Also, I will accept moderate flames. If you insult my writing, that is okay. If you insult me, that is not okay. Also, this chapter will help start the plot.**

**Usual disclaimer: I don't own the Inheritance Cycle. If I did, this would probably be something I would publish once I've finished it.**

Chapter 3: Your Training Begins Now

Velinor was lying down. The trip from Ellesméra to Vroengard was a two-day trip, and since Oridia had not eaten breakfast that morning, they had to land so that she could rest comfortably. Gariva was tired as well. She was large enough to carry multiple people for more than a day, but she also needed to eat and rest. She wouldn't tell Velinor why, but she just said that it was necessary for her to stop for the day. Velinor agreed, seeing as Gariva couldn't fly any farther and Oridia couldn't stay awake much longer. Her hatchling seemed to be tired as well, but from what eluded Velinor. They landed in a clearing that Gariva spotted. The clearing was large enough to accommodate Gariva, Velinor, Oridia, the hatchling, and several other elves if they were present.

When they landed, Velinor decided to provide a little entertainment. He pulled out his reed pipe and began to play a soothing melody. The song started softly and peacefully, spreading happiness and calm through Oridia. Suddenly, the music shifted. Instead of being the calm sound that was being played a moment ago, the song became erratic, but still coherent. The music reminded Oridia of the buzz of a bee. As the song went on, the mood of the music shifted through many varied emotions. Sometimes, the music was slow, somber, and depressing. At other times, the music filled Oridia with pure joy. At these times, all she wanted to do was dance to the beautiful composition. Oridia's hatchling swayed his head and hummed in accordance with the song. Gariva also hummed, but her humming was much deeper than the hatchling's.

Velinor began to play a new sound, one Oridia hadn't heard before. The music that was being played seemed to embody a power far beyond her own. The notes seemed to roar like a dragon, then sing like an elf. For some reason, the music seemed to remind Oridia of Du Fyrn Skulblaka, the elves' war with the dragons. As the music continued, the sound grew in power and strength. Then, suddenly, the music ceased its war-like mood, and was replaced with the same sound that the piece started off with. When the last note died away, Oridia just stared at Velinor, dumbstruck with the complexity and beauty of the music she had just heard.

"That was beautiful, Velinor-elda. When did you create such a piece?" Oridia asked after several minutes.

"I wrote it for the most recent Agaetí Blödhren, which I believe was forty years ago. I am actually amazed I could play it as well as I did. It has been five-and-thirty years since I had played this piece last." Velinor replied.

"It was amazing! What was your inspiration?" Oridia responded.

"It was Du Fyrn Skulblaka. You probably thought of the war with the dragons during the piece, did you not?"

"Yes, I did. If that part was inspired by Du Fyrn Skulblaka, what about the other parts?"

"They were just tid bits of music I've thought of over the years. I thought that they would be a good way to lead into the final piece.

"I think that we should rest for now. We can discuss the finer aspects of art and music while we fly to Doru Araeba." Velinor said. With that, Oridia reluctantly lied down on the cold, hard ground.

"I don't think that you will need to lie on the ground, Oridia." Velinor commented.

"Where shall I lay, Velinor-elda? I've brought nothing to lie down on." Oridia asked.

"Gariva shall be our pillow and tent. Just lie down on her stomach. She shall protect us from the elements and any enemies." Gariva, who was listening, lifted the wing closest to the two elves in response. Oridia decided to listen to Velinor, who was probably much more experienced than her in this field.

Oridia was so tired, she barely could stay awake while she walked over to Gariva. When she was safely under the wing, she collapsed on Gariva's underside. Velinor just sighed, and laid down on Gariva's underside as well. The hatchling quickly followed his partner and just sat on the ground next to her. He hummed softly as he fell asleep. Within minutes of everyone falling asleep, Gariva lowered her wing, forming a living tent around the elves and hatchling. She curled her head and tail around that lowered wing as a protective measure, and then she too fell asleep.

--

Oridia awoke to see a sky of green. It took her a few moments to realize that she was staring at Gariva's wing. Velinor wasn't under the wing, but the hatchling was. She wondered what she should call him, and yet she didn't have any idea. Tenatively, she lowered the protection around her mind so that she could reach out towards the hatchling's mind.

_You know, you need a name, little one,_ Oridia projected into the little dragon's mind. However, Oridia didn't use words. She knew that the dragon didn't know how to speak yet. Instead, she projected the impression of a name, what it mean and symbolized. The hatchling cocked his head, both eyes opening lazily. A feeling of lethargy was felt by Oridia. She wondered what she should name him. She also wondered how she would tell ask the dragon his name, for she could not project an impression of a name. She believed that the only way to ask the dragon his name was with words.

_Is your name Jura?_ To Oridia's surprise, the dragon shook his head.

_What about Hirador? Fundor? Ohen? Galzra?_ With each name, the dragon shook his head in disapproval. Oridia went through a list of many dragon names, some of which belonged to dragons past, but some she thought of by herself.

_What about Siberys?_ The dragon didn't shake his head this time. Instead, he just looked like he was thinking about the name. He let the name bounce around in his head, and then nodded his head.

Satisfied, Oridia tapped Gariva's underside. The green dragon stirred, and lifted her wing so that Oridia and Siberys could get up and walk around. They found Velinor sitting in the clearing, tending a pot filled with a simmering stew.

"Good morning! I thought that, since you had not had breakfast the previous morning, I would make something." Velinor said in a cheerful manner.

"Thank you, Velinor-elda." Oridia replied.

"You don't have to call me 'Velinor-elda.' Velinor will be fine. I'm not too much older than you, you know. I'm only one hundred and fifty years old." Velinor requested.

"Well, you are still a Dragon Rider, while I am only an apprentice."

"True, but soon you will be a Dragon Rider, too. Lets not waste time on such frivolous topics. We shall eat and then be off."

Oridia accepted the bowl that Velinor handed to her, and used the ladel that Velinor brought with him to get some soup. She took a spoon, again brought by Velinor, and tasted the stew. It was delicious, considering it was made on such short notice.

"What is Vroengard like, Velinor? I want to know where I shall train." Oridia asked.

"The island," he said, "is like a harbor. There are lines of ridges that shoot out from the center of the island, and there is a valley between each adjacent ridge. The valleys are great for relaxation. They are also good for flying practice, for they provide stretches of open sky for all the dragons on the island. Plus, the valleys have a variety trees where we grow our food, as well as game for our dragons to feast off of.

"Doru Araeba is an amazing city. There are no real buildings in Vroengard. We have platforms that our dragons fly us to. For those who don't have dragons capable of transportation, there are stairs. We don't believe in putting roofs on our buildings."  
"What if it rains? Wouldn't these platforms be drenched?" Oridia asked.

"Not at all. We have a variety of wards to shield us from the elements. Sometimes, though, we lower the wards. It feels good to have it rain on your face. The only building with a roof is the library, which is vast. In fact, the reason why the library has a roof is that it takes up an entire level. Around Doru Araeba, there is a wall of stone. This wall of stone stretches about a league from the center of Doru Araeba to the edge of the ring. The ridges emanate from this ring and others, but the inner ring is where our library is. We have the roof high enough for dragons to comfortably fit inside, the walls and shelves wide enough for dragons and their riders to comfortably walk through, and many caves on the upper levels of the library for riders and their dragons to read in comfort. Our library has books and scrolls from every culture in Alagaësia, including the dwarves."

"This must be a wonderful place to live, Velinor. You never mentioned where dragons and riders slept, though. Where is that?"

"We riders sleep with our dragons in caves that dot the inner ring. We don't usually sleep in the library, so we had caves carved into the inner ring above and below the library so that dragons could comfortably sleep with their riders. This city was made specifically for dragons and their riders. It is not like the dwarves' cities, the humans' cities, or the elves' cities. You could say that Doru Araeba is the only dragon city in Alagaësia."

"By the way, I wasn't thinking about this before, but my hatchling now has a name. His name is Siberys." Oridia said.

"A good name for a male dragon. I hope that he bears his name well. For when we get to Doru Araeba, you shall go before the Council of Elders to be tried. What I did was nothing. They shall examine you on every subject imaginable. They will extract everything you know. Don't worry. You won't lose your knowledge. They will want to know which master you should be paired with, and finding out what you know and don't know is one of the best ways of doing such."

"How long does it usually take Velinor?"

"A long time. Usually most of the morning. For me, it took until noon before I finished, and it started at daybreak. It usually depends on how much you know. The more you know, the longer it takes."

_I wonder how long it will take me,_ Oridia thought to herself.

As if in response to Oridia's thoughts, Velinor replied, "Don't worry about how long it will take you. It is umimportant. I just said how long it took me to give you an idea on how long you will take."

_Oh, good. That makes me feel a lot better, _Oridia thought to herself.

"Well, I think that we have wasted enough time talking. We should have done this while in the air Come now. We must take off towards Doru Araeba." Velinor stated. He proceeded to climb onto Gariva's saddle. Oridia followed. Once Oridia, Siberys, and Velinor were ready to take off, Gariva jumped into the air and flapped her wings. She gained altitude until she was well above the trees. She then angled herself towards the west, and she began moving that way. She was accelerating to a high speed, eager to reach Doru Araeba before sunset.

Before noon, they flew past Osilon. By noon, they were over Ceunon and the North Sea. Oridia marveled at the North Sea, amazed by its size.

"Just you wait, Oridia. Vroengard is surrounded by the true sea. You will see its beauty every day." Velinor assured Oridia.

"I'll take your word for it, Velinor. I have never seen the sea before. All I have heard are the stories and songs on it."

"Here is how I would describe the sea; no matter what you say about it, you will always have left out something. The sea is harsh, yet calm. Dangerous, yet beautiful."

"When will we arrive at Doru Araeba?"

"Today or tomorrow, depending on whether Gariva can get us there in time. Gariva, when do you think we will land on Vroengard"

_I say that we will land tonight. I won't be able to make it to Vroengard before the sun set, but I willl be there shortly after sunset _Gariva replied.

"Well, we must not waste any more time. Let us be off!" Vyelinor said. Gariva, in response, began to flap her wings faster and harder. She began to accelerate again, reaching a faster speed. Oridia began wondering what the people below must think they looked like a green blur shooting across the sky. Within an hour, the other side of the North Sea was in sight. They flew over Palancar Valley, where Galbatorix was defeated by Vrael. From what Oridia heard, the battle was epic, each strike changing the land. The town of Carvahall was destroyed during the duel.

The Spine was the only thing that seperated the group of dragons and riders from the sea. The sun was starting to set when the sea came into view. Oridia gasped at its size. She thought that the North Sea was huge, but that was before she saw the sea. The North Sea's southern shores were constantly in sight when they passed it, but the sea stretched in all directions, showing no signs of ever ending.

"Beautiful, isn't it? That was my first reaction to the sea. It left me at a loss for words." Velinor said in response to Oridia's expression.

"I've never seen something so large. I mean, the North Sea was large, but this is massive." Oridia said after a few minutes of speechlessness.

"Gariva, when shall we arrive at Vroengard?" Velinor asked the green dragon.

_About another hour. The wind must be with us, _Gariva replied. The group was silent for the next hour. Oridia didn't want to talk; she just wanted to marvel at the ocean. Velinor willingly agreed, for he too wanted to stare at the sea.

The sun was low in the sky when Gariva exclaimed, _There it is! The island of Vroengard!_

Oridia, Velinor, and Siberys all snapped their heads in the direction Gariva gestured at, but all they saw was open sea.

"We don't see anything yet, Gariva. Our eyes aren't as sharp as yours are." Velinor replied.

_Don't worry. You'll soon see it. Just keep looking,_ Gariva responded. Both elves and dragons kept looking at the sea, and suddenly, an block of land began to sprout up from the horizon. As they flew, the land grew larger and wider. When the shores were in sight, Oridia noticed several specks zooming around the islands. _Those are dragons! There must be hundreds of them,_ she thought to herself.

"There aren't as many dragons as you think you see. After Galbatorix's attempted upheaval, our numbers were weakened, but not irreversibly. We are slowly refilling our ranks." Velinor explained.

_It would have been irreversible if he had succeeded. We wouldn't have been able to rebuild either the Dragon Riders or the dragons,_ Gariva added on.

The dragons that Oridia saw grew in size as Gariva flew closer to the island. About a quarter of a mile from the island, two dragons began to fly towards Gariva. The dragons were deep red and bright gold, and slightly larger than Gariva.

"Welcome back, Velinor. Tell us, was your trip to Ellesméra successful?" the rider of the gold dragon asked.

"As a matter of fact, it was Oromis. She is right here." Velinor replied, gesturing towards Oridia.

Oridia, in response, touched her lips with her two fingers and said, "Atra esterní ono thelduin."

The rider known as Oromis siad, "Don't worry yourselves with pleasantries here, young one. Now tell me, what is your name? And your dragon, what of his name?"

"My name is Oridia, daughter of Arolia. My dragon's name is Siberys." Oridia replied.

"Well, Oridia, you must be tired from flying all day. You may rest where ever you desire. I believe I haven't introduced myself. My name is Morzan." The rider on the red dragon said in a kind voice.

"Thank you, Morzan. I shall do that." Oridia responded. She was tired, and she thought that a rest would be most welcome.

"Come. I shall show you to our dwellings. Jump on." Oromis said. Oridia transferred herself from Gariva to Oromis's dragon. Siberys followed her, and once he was on the gold dragon, the gold dragon flew off towards Doru Araeba.

"She has promise. With some effort, she shall be a good rider." Velinor said to Morzan.

"I agree. I wonder who will be her mentor?" Morzan replied.

--

"Here are the sleeping quarters for the new riders. As of now, you are the only one here." Oromis explained as he and his dragon, Glaedr, flew into the sleeping quarters. What Oridia saw was a circular room with rows of caves that were the perfect size for a rider and their young dragon. Glaedr landed in the room, and Oridia quickly jumped off with Siberys. She chose one of the caves closer to the ground. She found in it a blanket, pillow, and a little depression for Siberys.

"I would rest, if I were you. Tomorrow, you shall be examined and assigned a mentor." Oromis explained. He and Glaedr soon took off, leaving Oridia to sleep comfortably.

--

"Oridia, it is almost daybreak. Quickly get ready, for at sunrise, your examination shall commence." Velinor said when he found Oridia's cave. She quickly woke up and found her pack. Velinor waited outside as Oridia got dressed. She put on a dull green tunic. She then walked out of the sleeping quarters with Siberys and mounted Gariva with Velinor.

"I was told that I would take you to the council. We should be there in a few minutes." Velinor explained as Gariva flew from the sleeping quarters, which were outside the city, towards the city. She flew through the main archway, which was just an arch carved into the rings surrounding the city, and into Doru Araeba.

The city was a huge gathering of giant pillars, each at different heights. Dragons flew from pillar to pillar in the early morning. As Gariva flew past each column, Oridia noticed what was happening at the top of each one. They passed one where there were lines of tables. Elves and humans were feasting together, laughing merrily while telling stories, jokes, and riddles to each other. On another pillar, there were groups of riders dueling with their colored swords. Each slash seemed to leave a trail of light behind it, adding to the beauty of the city.

Finally, Gariva reached the highest pillar. She landed in the center of a ring of dragons, each larger than her. Oridia got off, and Gariva joined the circle, making it a complete ring. Oridia noticed that Morzan and Oromis were part of the ring as well.

"Welcome to your examination, Oridia. I assume Velinor told you about this on your trip here, did he not?" Oromis asked.

"He did." Oridia replied.

"Then we won't have to spend our time explaining everything." Morzan said with evident relief. The riders began to ask Oridia questions on various subjects. It started with botany, and then it slowly moved onto art. The sun crawled across the sky as each rider asked a question to Oridia. She responded to each question with either the answer she thought was right or a look of cluelessness on her face. The subjects were many and varied. Oridia was asked about metallurgy, medicine, woodworking, swordplay, and history. Most of the questions revolved around history, but a few were on things Oridia had no idea what the riders meant. The sun was almost above Doru Araeba when the riders stopped asking their flow of questions.

"That is all for now, Oridia. We shall inform you as soon as we have decided on your mentor." Morzan said. "For now, go and rest. We shall send food and drink to your quarters shortly."

This time, instead of Velinor or Oromis, Morzan flew Oridia to the sleeping quarters. He and his dragon, Thorn, were kind enough to reassure Oridia that her training would be neither too easy nor too difficult.

"We won't take too long on deciding your mentor. You won't be waiting too long." Morzan assured Oridia before taking off back to the city.

Food and drink did arrive for Oridia. She drank from the flagon of spring water that she was given and ate the stew that she was given with noticeable hunger. Siberys was also brought some meat to feast upon. Shortly after Oridia had eaten her fill, Morzan showed up again.

"It has been decided that I will be your mentor. We shall start as soon as possilbe." Morzan said to Oridia.

**Well, here is the end of the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. As always, constructive criticism is welcomed. So are reviews in general and flames that aren't directed at me.**

**A few more things. First off, a "thank you" to all the readers of this fan-fiction. 50 hits in three days. Secondly, another "thank you" to all who have subscribed or added this fan-fic to your favorites. Finally, a third "thank you" to all of those readers who review. This "thank you" is in advance. One last thing. I've added a poll to my profile. Please vote in it, for it does apply to this fan-fiction and will help me write this fan-fiction better.**

**Now, I've gotten a few reviews saying that people were confused with the Morzan thing. I replied to them, but just to eliminate any more confusion, this is an Eragon AU fan-fiction. I changed the facts a little because this is an alternate universe. Here are some of the changes I made: Galbatorix failed in defeating the Dragon Riders. The final battle was fought in Palancar Valley, in Carvahall, which was destroyed by the fight. Morzan was never corrupted. I have a few more changes, but I'll reveal them later. Also, this takes place _after_ Galbatorix tried to take over.**


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